Means for curing tobacco and the like



3, 1940- R. E. MAYO 2,223,696

MEANS FOR CURING TOBACCO AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 5, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Reubin E0 Maya,

(MA/Wk Patented Dec. 3, 1940 PATENT. OFFICE MEANS FOR CURING TOBACCO AND THE v LIKE Reubin E. Mayo, Snow Hill, N.

Application December 5, 1938, Serial No. 244,072

7 Claims.

This invention relates to the curing of tobacco, and more particularly concerns the construction of a burner unit and its arrangement within a tobacco storage building, so that the individual burners may be controlled from the exterior of the building, and so that heated air is distributed uniformly throughout the building.

The proper curing of tobacco requires an initial heating of the tobacco at a low temperature and a final heating at a relatively high temperature. For best results, it is necessary that each of these temperatures be fairly uniformly maintained. To obtain the low temperature, only a few of the available burners ordinarily are ignited, and to obtain the high temperature, the remaining burners may be ignited. This has made it necessary for the attendant to enter the building at the time these remaining burners are to be ignited, Also, in order to inspect the burners to make sure that they are in operation has required that the attendant enter the building.

Such entry by an attendant into the building has been very objectionable because of the high temperature within the building. Since the tobacco must be cured during the hot summer months, the temperature within the building is excessive. Furthermore, the bad character of the air, due to the presence of the large number of flames, makes entry into the building a highly hazardous duty.

The present invention, by making it possible to ignite, regulate, and inspect the burners from the exterior of the building, eliminates the necessity for actual entry into the building during the curing period.

In the accompanying drawings, in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the tobacco storage building, the roof being removed.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of Fig. 1, a portion of the side of the building being broken away to show the interior.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig, 1.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the hood above the burners, on an enlarged scale.

The building 5 has the generally rectangular shape characteristic of tobacco curing buildings. Opposite sides of the building are formed with openings 6 which are nearly as long as the building, and which are as high as the usual base brickwork 1. The upper portion 8 of the building may be of ordinary wooden framework construction. Doors 9 enable access to the building.

Each burner unit Ill comprises a casing made up of side panels H and I2 and end walls I3 to form a chamber which is'open at its top. The panel I I is of a size to fit'or overlie the opening 6 of the building, and thus serve as a closure for the opening. If desired, sealing material may be applied to the crack between the panel I l and the wall of the building.

Between the panels H and [2 are a plurality of burners l4 arranged in a straight line, These burners are supported by the fuel pipe [5 and by a rod l6, both of which are held in place by the end walls [3 of the casing. Fuel pipe l5 has a connection to a coupling outside the building. The control means IT for regulating the individual burners may either admit fuel to the burners, or elevate or lower the burners with respect to a maintained oil level.

As a feature of the invention, the control means I! for the burners extend through openings in the panel I I so as to be accessible from outside the building. Toenable access to the burners, as to ignite them, the panel II is formed with doors [8 at the height of the burners. Openings [9 for the supply of fresh air to the burners may be formed in doors l8. Above the doors I8 is located glass 19x, or other transparent material, through which the operation of the burners may be viewed.

It is not'necessary that panels II and 12 be in one piece, since they may be in sections, each section including its own burners. A sectional construction has the advantage that they may readily be assembled to form a burner unit of any desired length. As here shown, each section includes three burners, and each section includes its own door I8 and viewing glass I9x.

Above the burner unit are a plurality of hoods 2| which are disposed transverse to the length of the burner unit, and which each have a portion 2 la above the'burner and a portion 21b extending laterally from the burner unit toward the center of the building, In the illustrated embodiment, each section of the burner unit includes its own hood. The hood is less wide than the section, and deflector plates 22 extend from the ends of each section upwardly to the edges of the hood to direct the heated air into the hood.

An end wall 23 closes the end of the hood, and deflector plates 22, and rests upon panel to support these parts. At the other end of the hood are standards 24 which rest upon the floor.

With the arrangement illustrated, in which burner units are arranged on opposite walls of the building, and the hoods extend toward the center of the building, the "heated air is distributed evenly throughout the building. The heated air from the burners is directed into the hoods from which it escapes around the entire free edge thereof. In this manner, the entire area of the building is uniformly heated, and this is true whether only a single burner is ignited in each section for the low initial temperature, or whether all of the burners are in flame to obtain the final high temperature.

Since all the. burners can be lighted, regulated, and inspected from the exterior of the building, and it therefore is not necessary for an attendant to enter the building during the curing process, a closer control over the temperature is made possible with consequent improved curing of the tobacco.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, the invention is not limited thereto, since modification of the details are contemplated. For example, whereas burners. of the blue-flame circular type have been. illustrated, the burners may be straight, as disclosed in my application Serial No. 256,373 filed February 14, 1939, or the burners may be of a type other than the blue-flame.

I claim:

1. The combination with a. tobacco curing storage building having an opening in a side wall thereof, of a burner unit for heating the interior of the building comprising a panel which serves as a closure. for said opening when the burner unit is in position against said wall, a plurality of burners arranged in a line lengthwiseof and each substantially equidistant from i said panel, control means for the burners extending through said side panel, and means having a portion above the burn'ers to receive the heated air from the burnersand having a. portion extending laterally from the line of burners to convey the heated air toward the. center of the building.

2. The combination with a tobacco curing storage building having an opening in a side wall thereof, of a, burner unit for heating the interior of the building comprising a. pair. of parallel panels, one of which serves as a closure for said opening when the burner unit is in position against said wall, a plurality of. burnersbetween andarranged in a line lengthwise, of said panels, and a hoodhaving a portion above the burner unit and a portion projecting perpendicularly beyond the other end of said panels the lower edge of the projecting portion of they hood being free. to permit the escape of heated air, said hood receiving heated: air from the burners and conveying it to the center of the building.

3. Thecombination with ,a. tobacco curing storage building having an opening in a side'- parallel panels, one of which serves as a closure for said opening when the burner unit is in position against said wall, a plurality of burners between and arranged lengthwise of said panels, and a plurality of spaced apart hoods above the burner unit, and each having, a portion above the space between said panels to receive the heated air, and having a. portion projecting laterally beyond the other one of said panels, the lower edge of said projecting portion being free to distributethe heated air irr-the building.

4. A burner unit for heating the interior of a tobacco curing storage building comprising a plurality of burners arranged in a line, uprightpanels on opposite sides of and co-extensive with said burners serving to direct the heated air upwardly, and a plurality of generally parallel, spaced apart hoods above and transverse to said panels and each having a portion projecting beyond the side thereof and having its lower edge free, said hood servingto receive heated air from betweensaid panels and distribute it. laterally from the burners. V 5. A burner unity for heating the interior of a tobacco curing storage building comprising a plurality of burners arranged in a line, a plurality of hoods arranged transverse to the line of burners, and each having a portion above the burners and a portion laterally from the burners,

the portions whichare laterally from the burners being spaced from each other and having their lower edges free and meansdirecting the heated air from the. burners into-the hoods;

6. A b'urner unit for heating the interior of.

a tobacco curing storage building comprising a burners into the hoods'including deflectors be-' tween the hoods above theline of burners.

7. A burner unit for heating, the interior of: a' tobacco curing storage building comprising a; plurality of burners arranged in a line, upright panels on opposite sidesof andco-extensive with said burners serving to direct the heated air upwardly, a plurality of hoods eachhaving a portion above the space between the panels and having a' portion projecting beyond onev of said side panels, the projecting portions of the hoods being spaced apart and free around their lower edges, and means joining the portions of the hoods above the space between the panels with the panels, whereby the heated air from the: burners must all be directed into the hoods and can escapefrom the hoods only around the-edges of their projecting portions.

' I REUBIN: E. MAYQ. 

